This invention relates to boat dock bumpers, and more particularly to a portable and adjustable boat dock bumper attachable to the boat dock.
It is well known that it is desirable to bumper the impact between a boat and a boat dock or piling since such impacts can cause damage to the boat hull and boat gunnels. These impacts occur as a normal result of docking a boat or while a boat is secured to a boat dock and is subject to waves that can cause the boat to be moved against the dock. The prior art discloses a variety of devices that include bumpers permanently mounted along the edges or posts of a boat docket as well as cushioning fenders that typically are secured either to the boat or boat dock edge by ropes or cords. Although bumpers permanently mounted along the edge of a boat dock can minimize the problem of damage to a boat, the spacing of the bumpers may not be sufficient to fully protect the boat. Also, the boater usually has no control over the cushioning, if any, on different docks that may be utilized by the boater. Of course, if the boater has an assigned docket space that is either owned or rented by the boater, the boater can install or mount appropriate and proper bumpers on the dock edges. However, these obviously provide no protection when the boater utilizes other docks. The typical boat fenders that are attached to the boat with rope and swung inside the boat when not in use at the dock can be loosened by wind or storms that occur while the boat is docked and the owner is not present. Moreover, when not in use and are stored inside the boat, the fenders take up valuable space that could be used for storage of other articles or simply to provide additional space for comfort of the occupants of the boat.
There is therefore a need for an improved boat dock bumper that can be adjusted to any boat length and gunwale height, therefore enabling the boater to place the bumpers strategically so as to protect the boat in the most likely area where the boat will come in contact with the dock. There is also a need for such adjustable type boat dock bumpers that can be easily moved from side to side and in varying heights along a dock. The bumpers should also be portable so that they can be carried in the boat and temporarily mounted on a dock or they can be mounted semi-permanently or permanently, if desired, on the boater's owned dock.